1. Technical Field
Disclosed herein are methods and systems to prepare yeasted dough, including variable start and stop times associated with first and second rise times, and variable temperatures.
2. Related Art
Conventional yeast-based dough preparation involves mixing ingredients into dough; kneading the dough to stimulate yeast activity, to increase hydration, and to initiate gluten development; allowing the kneaded dough to rise for a first rise time; punching down, stirring, folding, or re-kneading the risen dough to release gas bubbles from within the dough and to add any additional ingredients to the dough; allowing the dough to rise for a second rise time; and shaping and baking the risen dough. The number and ordering of the steps, and the timing of the first and second rise times are critical to the outcome of the baked dough, and thus necessitate availability of the baker at particular times. As a result, many people forego making of dough due to schedule constraints and the considerable number of required steps.
Automated bread making machines mix, knead, and bake at preset times, and thus do not necessitate availability of the baker at particular times. Automated bread making machines, however, support limited variations in bread types, shapes, ingredients, and personal touch.
Bread chemists have known for several decades that doughs, especially ones moist enough to permit extensive bubbling from fermentation, will eventually knead themselves.
Retarded rise techniques are described in P. Reinhart, “The Bread Baker's Apprentice: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread,” Ten Speed Press (December 2001).